Dear friends and family,

As many of you know, I have been battling with a condition called Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW) for over a year. TSW is caused by the terrible side effects of topical steroids used to treat eczema and other skin conditions. They are often recklessly over-prescribed by dermatologists to anyone with minor rashes, even to children as young as infants. Despite the severe side effects of these medications, many doctors are largely unaware of TSW, deny its existence altogether, and will even insist on prescribing more steroids to those already suffering. Because of this, many of us with TSW feel unseen and unheard when we are in severe pain and desperate for help. Some with TSW can suffer endlessly for years on end. Some eventually lose hope. Some do not make it out of TSW.

Symptoms of TSW can be debilitating for those who suffer from it and they can last for years with no end in sight. The signature of TSW is a full body, bright red, burning, dry, flaking, oozing skin that itches non-stop. Other severe symptoms include insomnia, muscle spasms, nerve pain, loss of thermoregulation, hair loss, depression, and more. It can become so debilitating that many become unable to work and become reliant on family for care and support. It can end relationships and careers, and take away the lives and happiness of those with TSW.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for TSW and it is sadly understudied by medical science. There is no standard treatment, and lotions and creams largely do not help with healing TSW skin. Time is said to be the only healer for this condition, but the amount of time varies from person to person, and some can end up suffering for a decade or more.

I have been living this nightmare for over a year now, and have had many bedridden days where I question how much longer I can endure. Never willing to give up, I searched online for months to find and try anything that might help, and I have finally found something that has given me hope.

Cold Atmospheric Plasma therapy is an emerging technology used in the medical field to treat wounds on the skin by stimulating growth factor production in the skin cells. It has many promising applications, including treating topical steroid withdrawal. The recovery process throughout treatment can be very physically taxing on the body, but it can help TSW sufferers get their health and their life back.

Currently, there are only 3 clinics in the world that offer Cold Plasma therapy to treat TSW patients. One in the UK, Singapore, and Thailand. The longest-running, most experienced, and the most cost-efficient clinic is located in Bangkok, Thailand. I have been in contact with the director of the clinic as well as several current and former patients, all of whom have been incredibly positive and hopeful that with the treatment I will recover from TSW. I have made my arrangements and will be traveling to Thailand to be treated over the next few months.

This is where I need your help.

Between travel, treatment, and accommodations, the bills for this trip are quickly adding up. I am seeking to raise $10,000 to cover the costs of 4-6 months of travel, accommodations, and treatment.

Here is the breakdown of the expected expenses:

$3500 Travel costs (plane tickets, daily transport, etc)

$1000-1200 per month for CAP treatment

$400-500 per month for accommodations

$200-300 per month for food and miscellaneous everyday expenses.

Thankfully travel in Thailand is very cost-effective, so any donations will go a long way. The more I can raise, the more treatments I can receive and the better the outlook will be for recovering from TSW.

If I have ever made a positive impact in your life in any way, it would mean the world to me if you could support my journey of me getting my health and my life back. I believe that I was meant to go down this journey so I can bring awareness to this awful condition. I'm hoping that by remaining vocal and sharing my struggles that I can help others avoid this fate. And if they are already dealing with a similar situation, then maybe I can give them some hope.

I'm looking forward to a day that I can go back to doing the things I love, with the people I love, and do my best to help improve the lives of those around me.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.